Rose plant -- Meimouslin variety

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Grandiflora rose plant is provided which abundantly and continuously forms attractive fully double large long-lasting blossoms of relatively stable coloration that are Strawberry Red on the upper side and Cardinal Red on the under side. The blossom petals frequently are indented and the blossoms exhibit a slight fragrance. The plant exhibits a bushy growth habit, tends to be regular and somewhat low-growing, forms medium green adult wood, forms strong and vigorous vegetation, and is well suited for service as attractive ornamentation in parks and gardens. Additionally, the plant is not particularly affected by cryptogamic diseases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Grandiflora rose plant was created by artificialpollination wherein two parents were crossed which previously had beenstudied in the hope that they would contribute the desiredcharacteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) of the newvariety was the Olympiad variety (nonpatented in the United States). Themale parent (i.e., the pollen parent) was the product of the cross ofthe Meifersi variety (nonpatented in the United States) and the Red Ladyvariety (nonpatented in the United States). The parentage of the newvariety can be summarized as follows:

    Olympiad×(Meifersi×Red Lady).

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and 45 smallplants were obtained which were physically and biologically differentfrom each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new variety of Grandiflora rose plant of thepresent invention possesses the following combination ofcharacteristics:

(a) forms in abundance on a continuous basis attractive largelong-lasting fully double blossoms of relatively stable coloration whichare Strawberry Red on the upper side and Cardinal Red on the under side,

(b) forms blossoms which exhibit a slight fragrance,

(c) forms blossom petals that commonly are indented,

(d) forms medium green adult wood,

(e) exhibits strong and vigorous vegetation,

(f) exhibits a bushy and somewhat regular growth habit,

(g) is particularly suited for growing in parks and gardens, and

(h) is not particularly affected by cryptogamic diseases.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horitcultural industry andis particularly well suited for use as attractive ornamentation in thelandscape.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation by anumber of routes, including budding, grafting, cuttage, etc. Asexualpropagation by the above-mentioned methods as performed in France hasshown that the characteristics of the new variety are strictlytransmissible from one generation to another.

The new variety has been named the Meimouslin variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same, in a color illustration of this character,typical specimens of the plant parts of the new variety. The rose plantsof the new variety were two years of age and were observed duringOctober while budded on Rosa froebelli understock and growing outdoorsat LeCannet-des-Maures, Var, France.

FIG. 1 illustrates a specimen of a young shoot;

FIG. 2 illustrates a specimen of a floral bud before the opening of thesepals;

FIG. 3 illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thesepals;

FIG. 4 illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thepetals;

FIG. 5 illustrates a specimen of a flower petal;

FIG. 6 illustrates a specimen of an open flower--plan view--obverse;

FIG. 7 illustrates a specimen of an open flower--plan view--reverse;

FIG. 8 illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower--planview--obverse;

FIG. 9 illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower--planview--reverse;

FIG. 10 illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the stamens and pistils;

FIG. 11 illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the pistils (stamens removed);

FIG. 12 illustrates a specimen of a flowering stem;

FIG. 13 illustrates a specimen of a main branch;

FIG. 14 illustrates a specimen of a pair of leaves having threeleaflets--plan view--upper surface (left) and lower surface (right);

FIG. 15 illustrates a specimen of a leaf with five leaflets--planview--upper surface; and

FIG. 16 illustrates a specimen of a leaf with seven leaflets--planview--under surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of the RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart). The description is based onthe observation of two year-old plants made during October while buddedon Rosa froebelli understock and growing outdoors atLeCannet-des-Maures, Var, France. The coloration in common termsprecedes reference to the chart.

Class: Grandiflora.

Plant:

Height.--Approximately 80 to 100 cm. on average.

Habit.--Bushy, semi-erect.

Branches:

Color.--Young stems: Lettuce Green, Yellow-Green Group 144B, widelysuffused with reddish coloration. Adult wood: Medium green, Yellow-GreenGroup 146B.

Thorns.--Size: fairly large. Quantity: numerous with many prickles.Color: reddish on young stems and pinkish on mature wood.

Leaves:

Stipules.--Adnate, pectinate, narrow and linear.

Petioles.--Upper surface: striped reddish brown on young foliage andmedium green on adult foliage with more or less glandular edges. Undersurface: light green, and bears a few prickles.

Leaflets.--Number: 3, 5 (most often), and 7. Shape: oval. Serration:single and regular. Texture: consistent. General appearance: dense, darkand glossy foliage. Color (young foliage): Upper surface: Bronze Green,Yellow-Green Group 146A, more or less stained with reddish coloration.Under surface: light green, Yellow-Green Group 146C, more or lessstained with reddish coloration. Color (adult foliage): Upper surface:dark green, Yellow-Green Group 147A. Under surface: medium green, GreenGroup 138A.

Inflorescence:

Number of flowers.--Usually one to three blooms per stem.

Peduncle.--Light green, and widely stained with reddish coloration. Thelength is approximately 5 to 5.5 cm. on average.

Sepals.--Upper surface: tomentose, greenish and more or less stainedwith reddish coloration. Under surface: light green and more or lessstained with reddish coloration.

Buds.--Shape: ovoid. Length: approximately 2.5 cm. on average. Size:medium. Color upon opening: Upper surface: dark velvety Currant Red, RedGroup 46A. Under surface: Cardinal Red, Red Group 53A.

Flower.--Shape: cuplike and fully double. Diameter: approximately 10 to11 cm. on average. Color (when opening begins): Upper surface:Strawberry Red, Red Group 46B, very bright and velvety. Under surface:Cardinal Red, Red Group 53B, darker near the base. Color (whenblooming): Upper surface: Strawberry Red, Red Group 46B, bright andvelvety. Under surface: Cardinal Red, Red Group 53B, darker near thebase. Color (at end of opening): Upper surface: Strawberry Red, RedGroup 46B, bright and velvety. Under surface: Cardinal Red, Red Group53B, darker near the base. Fragrance: slight. Lasting quality: verylong-lasting bloom when on the plant or when cut and placed in a vase.Petal number: approximately 27 to 35 on average. Petal shape: rounded toflat with edges that often are indented. Texture: very consistent. Petaldrop: good. Stamen number: approximately 132 on average. Anthers: strawochre. Filaments: orange yellow in coloration and of irregular heights.Pistils: approximately 161 on average. Stigmas: normal, straw colored.Styles: straw colored with fuschia tips, tomentose near the base, and ofirregular heights. Receptacle: medium green, more or less stained withreddish coloration, in longitudinal section at the dehiscence of theanthers it is in the shape of a wide pitcher.

Development:

Vegetation.--Strong and vigorous.

Blooming.--Abundant and continuous.

Aptitude to bear fruits.--Good.

Resistance to frost.--Good.

Resistance to diseases.--Good.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Grandiflora rose plant characterized by the following combination of characteristics:(a) forms in abundance on a continuous basis attractive large long-lasting fully double blossoms of relatively stable coloration which are Strawberry Red on the upper side and Cardinal Red on the under side, (b) forms blossoms which exhibit a slight fragrance, (c) forms blossom petals that commonly are indented. (d) forms medium green adult wood, (e) exhibits strong and vigorous vegetation, (f) exhibits a bushy and somewhat regular growth habit, (g) is particularly suited for growing in parks and gardens, and (h) is not particularly affected by cryptogamic diseases;substantially as herein shown and described. 